2 Korintus 10:12--11:6

Paul’s Mission

10:12 For we would not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who recommend themselves. But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding. ¹  10:13 But we will not boast beyond certain limits, ²  but will confine our boasting ³  according to the limits of the work to which God has appointed us, ⁴  that reaches even as far as you. 10:14 For we were not overextending ourselves, as though we did not reach as far as you, because we were the first to reach as far as you with the gospel about Christ. ⁵  10:15 Nor do we boast beyond certain limits ⁶  in the work ⁷  done by others, but we hope ⁸  that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded ⁹  among you according to our limits, ¹⁰  10:16 so that we may preach the gospel in the regions that lie beyond you, and not boast of work already done in another person’s area. 10:17 But the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. ¹¹  10:18 For it is not the person who commends himself who is approved, but the person the Lord commends.

Paul and His Opponents

11:1 I wish that you would be patient with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you are being patient with me! 11:2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy, because I promised you in marriage to one husband, ¹²  to present you as a pure ¹³  virgin to Christ. 11:3 But I am afraid that ¹⁴  just as the serpent ¹⁵  deceived Eve by his treachery, ¹⁶  your minds may be led astray ¹⁷  from a sincere and pure ¹⁸  devotion to Christ. 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims ¹⁹  another Jesus different from the one we proclaimed, ²⁰  or if you receive a different spirit than the one you received, ²¹  or a different gospel than the one you accepted, ²²  you put up with it well enough! ²³  11:5 For I consider myself not at all inferior to those “super-apostles.” ²⁴  11:6 And even if I am unskilled ²⁵  in speaking, yet I am certainly not so in knowledge. Indeed, we have made this plain to you in everything in every way.

[10:12]  ¹ tn Or “they are unintelligent.”

[10:13]  ² tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (ei" ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).

[10:13]  ³ tn The words “will confine our boasting” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to boasting must be repeated from the previous clause to clarify for the modern reader what is being limited.

[10:13]  ⁴ tn Grk “according to the measure of the rule which God has apportioned to us as a measure”; for the translation used in the text see L&N 37.100.

[10:14]  ⁵ tn Grk “with the gospel of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Cristou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “with the gospel about Christ.”

[10:15]  ⁶ tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (ei" ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).

[10:15]  ⁷ tn Or “in the labors.”

[10:15]  ⁸ tn Grk “but we have the hope.”

[10:15]  ⁹ tn Or “greatly enlarged.”

[10:15]  ¹⁰ tn That is, Paul’s work might be greatly expanded within the area of activity assigned to him by God.

[10:17]  ¹¹ tn The traditional translation (“let the one who boasts boast in the Lord”) can be understood as merely permissive by the English reader, but the Greek verb καυχάσθω (kaucasqw) is a third person imperative.

[10:17]  sn A quotation from Jer 9:24 (also quoted in 1 Cor 1:31).

[11:2]  ¹² tn That is, to Christ.

[11:2]  ¹³ tn Or “chaste.”

[11:3]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “I fear lest somehow.”

[11:3]  ¹⁵ tn Or “the snake.”

[11:3]  ¹⁶ tn Or “craftiness.”

[11:3]  ¹⁷ tn Or “corrupted,” “seduced.”

[11:3]  ¹⁸ tc Although most mss (א² H Ψ 0121 0243 1739 1881 Ï) lack “and pure” (καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος, kai th" Jagnothto"; Grk “and purity”) several important and early witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B D^[2] F G 33 81 104 pc ar r co) retain these words. Their presence in such mss across such a wide geographical distribution argues for their authenticity. The omission from the majority of mss can be explained by haplography, since the -τητος ending of ἁγνότητος is identical to the ending of ἁπλότητος (Japlothto", “sincerity”) three words back (ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος); further, since the meanings of “sincerity” and “purity” are similar they might seem redundant. A copyist would scarcely notice the omission because Paul’s statement still makes sense without “and from purity.”

[11:4]  ¹⁹ tn Or “preaches.”

[11:4]  ²⁰ tn Grk “another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed.”

[11:4]  ²¹ tn Grk “a different spirit which you did not receive.”

[11:4]  ²² tn Grk “a different gospel which you did not accept.”

[11:4]  ²³ tn Or “you endure it very well.”

[11:5]  ²⁴ tn The implicit irony in Paul’s remark is brought out well by the TEV: “I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called ‘apostles’ of yours!”

[11:5]  sn The ‘super-apostles’ refers either (1) to the original apostles (the older interpretation) or (2) more probably, to Paul’s opponents in Corinth, in which case the designation is ironic.

[11:6]  ²⁵ sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.